


He's Gone...

by CrzyFun



Series: Cat of a Different Color [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Birthday, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Mild Language, Platonic VLD Month 2017, not sure is it warrants the t but its there just in case, red mom best mom, the lions are cats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-22 03:24:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12472376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrzyFun/pseuds/CrzyFun
Summary: For Day 23 of Platonic VLD Month 2017: Happy Birthday!It's Keith's first birthday since his dad left so his uncle and "mother" want to make it a special one.





	He's Gone...

**Author's Note:**

> Two in one day because I fell behind, but had to make my son's birthday!!!

Shiro glared at the burned cake on the counter. “What did we do wrong?”

<You’re asking me? I eat raw meat. I still say we just catch him a rabbit or fish. No, a deer. You know, something special.>

“We followed the instructions,” the teen huffed, looking over the back of the box.

<Think there’s enough time to make a new one?>

The door to Shiro’s barrack unlocked.

<Quiznak!>

Shiro quickly shoved the pan into the trash and leaned on the counter with a forced smile as Keith walked in. “Hey, buddy. How was class?”

Keith gave his own forced smile before his nose twitched and he frowned. “Is something burning?”

“So I was thinking, how about we head into town,” Shiro said quickly. “We can get dinner then try to sneak Merla into the observatory.”

Keith’s eyes widened, then he smirked. “You burned food again didn’t you?”

Shiro chuckled and scratched his neck. “Yeah, I was trying to make you a birthday cake.”

Keith scowled and flopped onto Shiro’s bed. “Oh.”

<I told him we should have gotten you a deer,> Merla purred, hopping up to nuzzle him.

“Hey buddy, what’s wrong?” Shiro asked, sitting next to him.

“Nothing.”

“Did something happen at school?”

“No.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Shrio tugged the boy into his lap. “Come on, Keith. Talk to me.”

<Go on.>

“I’m fi-”

Merla nipped his hand before lying on his lap. <The truth, cub.>

Keith sighed and rubbed her ears. “I just don’t feel like going anywhere today.”

<Keith.>

“That’s fine. I can go out and grab some takeout for us. Maybe even some cake and a mov-”

“I just don’t want to do anything, okay!” Keith huffed. He pushed Merla off him and stood up. “I’m going to my room.”

She hissed and ran over to guard the door.

“Keith, come on, it’s your birthday. You must want to do something.”

Keith glared at the ground. “I want sorbet from Mr. Eld’s stand and to watch the horses at Mrs. Begbie’s farm.”

“Well, we can see about going this we-”

“It won’t be the same. We always went _on_ my birthday.”

Shiro frowned and set his hand on Keith’s shoulder. “Keith, I-”

“I know! I know it’s not going to be th-the same because d-dad’s gone an-an-” Keith cut off with a growl and buried his face in his hands.

Merla shot forwards to wrap around Keith’s ankles while Shiro pulled him into a hug.

“Keith…” Shiro said at the same time Merla whined, <Cub…>

“I’m going to my room,” Keith repeated, shoving Shiro away and untangling himself from Merla before running out too fast for the two to stop him.

* * *

<This is not your room,> Merla chirped.

He turned to yell at her, but his mouth snapped shut when he spotted Shiro coming through the roof’s door behind her.

“Hey squirt.”

Keith turned back to his view of the desert. “I want to be alone.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do.”

Shiro sat next to him and Keith scooted away.

“You miss Akira.”

“I don’t.”

“You d-“

“I DON’T! He left me! He didn’t want me, so fuck him!”

Shiro raises an eyebrow. “Where’d you learn that one?”

Keith just glared out at the horizon.

“Well, just don’t use in front of any teachers.”

<Yeah, use the ones I taught you. Same meaning, but with the added benefit of them being confused and not able to punish you.>

Despite himself, Keith snorted.

<There we go!>

Shiro took that as a good sign and wrapped his arm around Keith’s shoulders. “Look, Keith, as much as I’d like to think Akira had a good reason for taking off, I’m not going to make excuses for him. Not to myself, and not to you. He left us, you. And that sucks. But you can’t let that ruin things for you. Just because Akira’s a…”

<Dick?> Merla offered and Keith repeated.

Shiro’s lip twitched into a smile. “Exactly. Just because he’s a dick doesn’t mean you should give up on things. Especially things as important and special as your birthday. This is your day. Don’t let him screw that up.”

A few moments passed before Keith finally looked away from the desert to face Shiro. “I miss him,” he said, his voice quiet and fragile.

“I know.”

“I still don’t want to go anywhere.”

“That’s fine.”

“Can we just sit in your room and watch stuff?”

“Sure.”

“Hippo videos?”

“All the hippos!”

Keith leaned into Shiro. “Thanks.”

“Always.”


End file.
